Modern Short Stories

Hannah Smith has it all—an incredible career, a loving husband, and a close-knit group of friends. But despite their picture-perfect life, Hannah and James are hiding a painful secret: they’re struggling with infertility. As Hannah watches her colleagues and friends celebrate pregnancies, her hope slowly fades. Even her once rock-solid marriage begins to crack under the weight of unfulfilled dreams. In the midst of her heartache, Hannah turns to her faith, making a desperate promise—if blessed with a child, she will dedicate their life to serving others. Just when she least expects it...

Within the first Modern Madness collection, Gateway to the Grotesque, the modern-day dark-hearted master of horror Tim Chizmar introduced the world to his quality tales of terror. Now, in The Screaming Virgins, he seeks to usher in a brand-new group of masterful storytellers to shock, disgust, and scare you out of your mind!

Have you heard the story about the bird that turned to stone? Did your parents warn you about the extra-specially-super-deliciously-fantastically naughty boy who got a frog stuck in his throat? No? Well, never fear: Onjali Q Raúf is here to entertain you with her sparkling collection of fables for kids who want to make the world a better place!

Royalty...it was more than just a word to her. It was her life. But not for long. Marlie loved her family dearly, even when she didn’t like them very much. But their life wasn’t the life she wanted for herself. Maggie had always fulfilled her responsibilities, she’d always done exactly as she was expected to...she knew no other way. Until now...until after reading a letter from her father suggesting she visit her niece and learn how to do as she pleased every once in a while, including the joy of eating pizza at her slightest whim. The last thing Maggie expected when she showed up at ...

After the sudden loss of her husband, Ruth is left with nothing but her mother-in-law Naomi and a broken heart. With no future in the city they once called home, Naomi decides to return to her small hometown, hoping to find solace in familiar faces. Ruth, refusing to leave the only family she has left, makes a bold choice: she will leave everything behind to follow Naomi and start anew. As Ruth struggles to rebuild her life in a tight-knit community, she crosses paths with Boaz, a successful and respected business owner. Ruth is drawn to his quiet strength, while Boaz can’t help but ...

Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your soul according to fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly. - Franz Kafka. Franz Kafka wrote, I am free that is why I'm lost. Assume, you wake up and the entire world is against you. You want to follow yourself but the people are dominant on you to do what they want. We don't feel chains until we move. Franz Kafka was not a body to be defined but a soul and heart to be felt. When you zoom out on his life, you will find only a miserable life and a soul that was stubborn to his writings and ...

Have you ever passed out and woken up in your girlfriend’s apartment only to find you’ve lost access to your multi-million dollar dark web auctioning website–right after she found out she’s not your only girlfriend? Have you ever been accused of attempted murder by a talented and vindictive mime? Have you ever gone to jail for defending yourself against a papercut from a yoga teacher? If you haven’t, you haven’t lived!

Bristle Rey just moved to town. She's trying to find a fresh start and leave behind a crappy home life. She's landed in Valor, WY and has found a job. Now she just needs to find an apartment and she'll be all set. Instead, she finds Wild. Becket “Wild” Wilder got his nickname as a joke. He’s never been reckless, never been crazy. Until he lays eyes on Bristle Rey. Then all bets are off. Let’s get Wild. This month 24 of your favorite short and steamy authors have come together to bring you a new motorcycle romance each day! The Men of Valor are more than ex-military bikers – they ...

This was the book that launched a genre. Modern fantasy collections trace their lineage back to Lord Dunsany, and this was his first work that today's listeners would recognise in tone and settings.

After her stepmother throws her out, Elle needs her horse to survive. Who is this handsome man who took her horse and is now calling her a thief because she took it back? She's not a thief. He has two horses, why does he think he also needs hers?

Like the timeless parables of Jesus, these contemporary stories seep into your consciousness, shift your viewpoint, and reveal insights into the rhythms of life's occurrences. Embark on an unforgettable journey across the heartland of America with "A Test of Character in Royal Swirls," the second volume of "Spirit-Filled Parables for Modern America." This visually stunning collection of 19 soul-stirring parables is brought to life by over 100 vibrant, full-color images that seamlessly blend the mundane and divine. In these pages, you'll traverse the rich tapestry of the American experience,...

Love Under the Big Top a Love Inspired Romance Circus life killed her mother will it destroy Tiffany's first love too? Readers who enjoy sweet love stories filled with romantic intrigue, family drama, and good old-fashioned jealous rivalry will be entertained by Roxanne's clean romance books. After the tragic death of her mother Tiffany blamed the circus and her father. Their relationship reaches the breaking point when she's shipped off to boarding school. Years later her father's illness forces Tiffany to leave school, return home and make life-changing decisions. Will Tiffany help her ...

With Grant Stanley dead, dragon omega Aiden Hunt is ready to settle down with his two alphas and raise their daughter Emma. He's finally found the love and family he's always wanted. But when vampires attack their secluded home, Aiden realizes Grant wasn't acting alone. Aiden's father is an asshole with lawyers. He sold Aiden's first heat to the highest bidder, and now he's trying to take Emma from her fathers--at any cost. Jordan, one of Aiden's alphas, is ready to spill some blood in retribution, but Zach Knight has the best lawyers in the city to fight back. Aiden knows a legal battle ...

What links a café in Antarctica, a factory for producing electronic tracking tags, and personal spacecraft? They're among the multiple venues where award-winning writer Tania Hershman sets her unique tales in this spellbinding debut collection. This audiobook, adbridged from the original collection, is read by the author, Tania Hershman.

This one-of-a-kind treasury brings together the talents of nearly two dozen best-selling middle-grade authors - including Shannon Hale, Brandon Mull, Ally Condie, and Jennifer A. Nielsen - who have created original short stories and modern-day fairy tales based on the lives and dreams of children they have met who all have two things in common: They have very big hopes and dreams, and they are all cancer patients.

“The Most Dangerous Game” (1924) is the Richard Connell short story that continues to fascinate readers with its suspense and action. This is the original story—only word order and difficult vocabulary have been updated. Biographical information, end notes, and analysis of the major themes follow the text. AR Quiz No. 8634 EN Fiction Upper Grades - BL: 5.3 - AR Pts: 1.0. For other short stories in easy to understand modern English search the web for “George Lakon.”

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is Washington Irving’s famous short story of the Headless Horseman that is now part of American culture. - Accelerated Reader AR Quiz No. 7115 BL 11.0 AR Pts: 3.0 -The language of almost two hundred years ago has been extensively modernized -End notes, interpretation, and discussion of major themes follow the text -Biographical information on Irving included -Every effort has been made to keep the story as close to the original as possible -Modern readers will better understand and appreciate one of the first truly American short stories. For more short ...

A collection of short stories from such favorites as Wilkie Collins, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling are joined by others written anonymously in this anthology which will have you scratching your head and listening just a bit longer to discover the key to the mysteries.

Inspired by classic books like The Little Prince, these delightful fables follow a variety of charming animal characters as they embark on fantastical yet profoundly relatable quests.

We never forget the stories we were told as children. Even when they are not on the top of our mind, they lurk like palm prints on the drying cement foundations of our understanding of the world. We absorb the pluck of children in the face of adult perfidy, cheering the heroism of Hansel and Gretel or Beauty and the Beast. Counterpoised by the wickedness and cruelty of parents, stepmothers, and wolves in sheep's clothing, children's wiliness usually leaves them unharmed, if not heroic. As adults, we keep returning to them again and again in film, in theater, and in books.